About

The Lifelong Learning Platform is an umbrella that gathers more than 40 European organisations active in the field of education, training and youth. Currently these networks represent more than 50 000 educational institutions and associations covering all sectors of formal, non-formal and informal learning. Their members reach out to several millions of beneficiaries.

Resources

Publications

The LLLPlatform runs an annual review of the Erasmus+ programme implementation and shares its results with policy-makers to enhance the application process and the content of the programme. This survey is conducted by the Platform to evaluate how beneficiaries (like you) have experienced the past round of applications of the Erasmus+ programme: what do you think of Erasmus+? Are you satisfied with its new features? What problems did you encounter? What suggestions for improvement would you make? This publication explores the results of the Survey 2017! Spoiler: there is room for improvement…

The LLLWeek17 was a wonderful ride! We hosted debates around the need to transform our learning systems into something closer to a society based on Industry 4.0 (and the proposed model is indeed “Information 4.0”). We have seen digital project related to helping teachers and volunteers with their daily work (D-Clics numérique, by La ligue de l’enseignement), but also alternative approaches to the digital world, such as the “De-Google” workshop held by Ficemea and Framasoft. A full-immersion in the education tools to keep up with the digital revolution!

The Annual Conference 2017 took place on 31 May and 1 June in Tallinn, Estonia. This year’s topic is “Education in a digital world. Reducing inequalities through lifelong learning”. The challenge of education in a digital world commands us to open education as widely as possible to include all, through flexible pathways and innovative thinking in order to enable all to adapt to yet unknown developments. The two days in Tallinn have brought us vibrant inputs, valuable contributions and have opened our minds on the main topics (and beyond). This is why we are happy to share the report of the conference, including all the interventions from the speakers.

The Lifelong Learning Platform is happy to announce that our Activity Report for the year 2016 is finally out! “2016 has been a year full of challenges and opportunities for the Lifelong Learning Platform, its members and Europe at large. In spite of a challenging European and international context, Brexit , increased radicalisation, fear, populism and horrifying acts of terrorism, we remain convinced of the power education has to reverse worrying trends and rebuild our European identity. In these troublesome times, access and quality to learning opportunities for all can bring optimism back into political discourse and gather citizens with a hopeful vision of the future”.

The Erasmus+ Survey 2017 is launched! The LLLPlatform makes an annual review of the Erasmus+ programme implementation and shares its results with policy-makers to enhance the application process and the content of the programme. This survey is conducted by the Platform to evaluate how beneficiaries (like you) have experienced the past round of applications of the Erasmus+ programme: what do you think of Erasmus+? Are you satisfied with its new features? What problems did you encounter? What suggestions for improvement would you make? The survey is available in English, and answering should not take more than 5 to 10 minutes of your time, but it will contribute greatly to improve the programme!

The LLLWeek2015 was the opportunity for the LLLPlatform to launch its new Manifesto on Building the future of learning in Europe. “A humanistic and holistic approach of learning, from cradle to grave, is of continued relevance in today’s world and a viable foundation for the rethinking of education in knowledge intensive societies.” After the launch of its new visual identity and name in the context of its 10th anniversary, the Lifelong Learning Platform is proud to share its political Manifesto. Fed by all its members during a one-year consultation process, it is a call to policy-makers and educational actors from all over Europe to take action to make lifelong learning a reality for all!

The LLLPlatform believes monitoring the implementation of the Erasmus+ programme is of crucial importance to verify that application procedures are as user-friendly as possible and to assess how the programme can be improved for an even better experience from next year on. Following the 2014 success, the Platform reconducted its Erasmus+ Implementation Survey in 2015, gathering close to 300 answers from across Europe (the survey was available in EN, FR, ES and DE). The survey closed mid-September, results have been compiled, and the Platform presented the results on 30 November, as opening event to the LLL Week 2015.

This study looks at the education policy challenges which arise in respect of the validation of non-formal and informal learning in Europe focusing on persons with low levels of formal qualification. It builds upon a study (see Gaylor, Schöpf, & Severing, 2015 for the Summary in German) on the recognition of non-formal and informal learning that was conducted within the scope of a Bertelsmann Stiftung project entitled “Continuing training for all”. The object of investigation was the current nature of such procedures in eight European countries. In the continuation of this work, which is based upon the examples of good practice identified in the study, possible courses of action are developed which are directed towards decision makers in the European Union and its member states at a policymaking, economic and societal level. This European publication is co-edited by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Lifelong Learning Platform.

European integration appears sometimes technocratic, in the hands of distant institutions, which are asked to manage macroeconomic policies which benefits are not always immediately clear to the general public. This guide is a concrete tool to empower educators and learners over Europe to have their say in their future. EUCIS-LLL strongly believes in civil dialogue and in the importance of civil society in contributing to shape the future of learning in Europe. Advocating for education, training and lifelong learning requires understanding how policy decisions are shaped. The specificities of our sector explain the need for a specialised guide book on advocating European institutions because the schemes of decision in this area are different from others and because this is an opportunity for civil society to contribute actively to improve European standards. The 2015 version will be regularly updated for stakeholders to constantly stay in touch with each other.

The second edition of the LLLMag, “We Make Europe”, considers the lins between lifelong learning and active citizenship. This magazine captures some of the sparks of civic engagement and aimed to contribute to the debates that took place in the context of the European Year of Citizens 2013. Its purpose was (and still is) to bring together various perspectives and experiences in order to show the wealth and dynamism as well as the limitations and pitfalls of what is active European citizenship nowadays.

The first edition of the LLLMag on encompasses many complex processes regarding lifelong learning, namely the diversity of learning settings in Europe. After a public hearing organised by the LLLPlatform in December 2011 on validation, the magazine aims to provide key data, examples of countries’ profiles, interviews of experts and learners to give an insight of the recent European developments.

In the autumn 2011, the LLLPlatform conducted a survey and feasibility study on National Stakeholders’ Forums, on the model of the European Stakeholders’ Forum organised every year in partnership with the European Commission. Those Forums would be the tools to implement a genuine cooperation between different kinds of stakeholders and educational sectors, and perhaps consultation mechanisms with decision-makers of all levels on European lifelong learning strategies and policies.

This publication aims to present the outcomes of the exchanges that took place within our platform in 2010-2011. It includes policy recommendations as well as some very concrete initiatives taking place around Europe that ought to be better known, shared and supported. 39 good practice examples from the different sectors of education and training are thus presented under each priority action in order to illustrate concrete ways forward.

The LLLPlatform felt a need to capitalise on the activities, reflections and contributions it has produced in recent years on the issue of lifelong learning and on its implementation in the EU. To satisfy this need, on behalf of the platform, a study on the feasibility of setting up a European Institute of Lifelong Learning was produced by an independent expert, Antonio Mocci, in cooperation with the platform’s working group on the sustainability of lifelong learning.

Carried out by the six founding members of EUCIS-LLL, the former name of the LLLPlatform, this publication is the result of a conference organised with the support of the European Commission and of the European Economic and Social Committee of May 2004. The research examined 60 examples of good practice, identified twenty-five ‘best practice examples’ and analysed their achievements.

This report gives a summary of the discussions as well as draws attention to some of the key messages from the presentations that took place during the 2004 conference “Skills for life, a key to lifelong learning – towards achieving the Lisbon Strategy” of May 2004.

This founding brochure was published by the future members of EUCIS in the frame of the European Commission’s Memorandum on Lifelong Learning of 2001. Based on the identification of good practices, the partners of this project propose key recommendations to public authorities in order to implement coherent LLL strategies. This brochure is only available in French.